Eighteen
by Phabel
Summary: Peer into Calvin's life as he enters college. See what's different about him, and what has stayed the same. Yeah...summaries stink. Please read, review, and enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: According to the novelette __The Little Prince__, the vast majority of children grow up to become boring dolts with no imagination. I agree with the fact that most kids forget the magic of childhood._

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The year is 2008 (exactly 13 years after the strips ended.) Calvin is eighteen years old. After enduring the first five months of his college career, he's just about at his wit's end. As he returns to his hole-in-the-wall dorm from another day of excruciatingly boring lectures, he slams the door shut. Thank gosh he doesn't have to room with any of those idiots that he spends his classes with. That would make this unbearable.

"Why in the world did I sign up for this?" he complained aloud (as usual), "Who knew college would be so hard? I have a paper to write, exams to study for, and all I feel like doing is going to sleep." Calvin threw his jacket on the floor and flopped down on his bed. "Sometimes I wish I could just take a pill to be perfect and push a button to know everything." He paused, as if waiting for a response. He then added, "...not that _you_ would understand."

Calvin didn't room with the idiots in his classes, but he had brought his friend along with him. Currently, he's sitting on a folding T.V. tray that they use instead of a table while eating a sandwich. In between bites, he responded, "What can I say? We tigers lead a life of simplicity."

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_A/N: Most kids forget the magic of childhood. But under certain circumstances, that magic becomes reality and stays with you forever. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Calvin & Hobbes._


	2. Chapter 2

"Gee, how comforting," Calvin grumbles. Then he grins smugly and adds, "You're just jealous that _I'm_ the smart one now."

Hobbes crosses his arms indignantly. "In your dreams. No matter how much school you go through, you can't beat natural instinct." Calvin wasn't backing down on this one. He's always loved to gloat, after all. "Face it, Hobbes: _I'm smarter than you._"

Now Hobbes is getting a little aggravated. He yells, "Who did your homework for you until fourth grade?!"

"Yeah, and who got me straight D's until fourth grade?" Calvin retorts. He still has a smug grin on his face. "And who's taking a calculus course? And a philosophy course? Not you!"

"I still don't understand how you made it into calculus."

"Yeah, yeah. One of life's great mysteries."

There's a pause, and then Hobbes says, "You're the idiot who put noodles in-"

It's Calvin's turn to be exasperated. He cuts Hobbes off. "Jeez, Hobbes, _that was in first grade!_ I've changed since then!"

"Not really," Hobbes retorts coolly. Boy, does he know how to send Calvin over the edge!

"You're really asking for it, fuzz brain." Calvin rolls up his sleeves and begins to brawl with his childhood friend. In the end, neither of them wins (as usual), but Calvin feels a little more invigorated and decides to start working on his philosophy paper.

Calvin enjoyed writing, but not this kind. Ever since he was eleven, he had learned to concentrate his overactive imagination through writing. That way, he didn't have as many stories constantly in his head. His overactive imagination was still always present, but he was able to focus easier. He wished his professors would assign writing like that, but he knew that wouldn't happen.

Even with the research paper bearing down on him, Calvin can't help but smile as he powers on his bulky desktop.

"We're supposed to do an eight page report on a specific philosopher. Guess who I chose!"

"Who?" Hobbes asks inquisitively.

"Thomas Hobbes! He believed humans were mainly motivated by selfishness."

Hobbes smiles. "Good for him!" he says proudly.


	3. Chapter 3

After a long night of typing, studying, and wishing he's anywhere but where he is, Calvin finally can't keep his eyes open and decides to turn in. He stumbles over to his bed, collapses into it, and falls asleep instantly. Hobbes curls up to the right of Calvin, only lies awake for a little while. He's not nearly as exhausted as Calvin, mainly because midterms to study for.

Whenever Hobbes has trouble sleeping-which isn't often, but whenever he does,-he likes to just think. Not really about anything in particular, just something to entertain his mind. On this night, Hobbes thought back to when Calvin was only six. He thought about the difference between the way Calvin treated him and the way everyone else treated him. Most people seemed to think he was some sort of _item_, like a toy or a stuffed animal. And he was, and _is_ a stuffed animal. It was a truth he was all too aware of. An inanimate object, and almost nothing more.

But with Calvin, everything was different. From Calvin's perspective, he was a tiger and a friend. Even though all humans could see the world with similar eyes, they also see it with drastically different consciousnesses. And it's your mere consciousness that can bring life to anything, and whether or not it's actually alive doesn't matter. So long as it's true to you, it'll be true to it as well.

With these thoughts, Hobbes drifted off into a deep sleep.

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_A/N: We never really peer into Hobbes's thoughts during the strip, so I thought this would be interesting. I know it was short, but I hope you enjoyed my little adventure into Calvin's college years! Please review, follow, favorite, all that jazz. Thank you!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Calvin & Hobbes_


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